The Social Costs of Alcohol and Drugs

Our country experiences a huge rate of Alcohol and Drug Addiction.

There is a great cost being imposed on our families, our society, our economy and the New Zealand Health System. There are an estimated 700,000 heavy drinkers in New Zealand equal to the combined populations of Wellington and Christchurch.

$4 billion

Cost from alcohol related harm per year (est.)

$655 million

Cost to the health sector per year

$1.5 billion

Cost of lost production

There are no immediate prospects of successful prevention of this illness, thus there is a substantial and growing demand for the treatment of addicts, including the option of safe residential care.

Many New Zealanders will have some personal knowledge of the sad outcomes that are often associated with the disease of Alcohol and Drug Addiction.